The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Right Rev Justin Welby, has apologised for
“betrayals and failings” in the Church’s handling of child-abuse allegations
after it emerged that senior clergy failed to tell police about a priest who
was later jailed for sex offences.

Archbishop Welby issued a statement after Robert Coles, 71, a retired Church
of England priest, was jailed for eight years yesterday. He had admitting
ten counts of indecent assault and another serious sexual offence against
three boys aged between 11 and 16.

The offences took place while he was a priest in Sussex between 1979 and 1984.
During